Chhattisgarh district Bastar is all set to become a battleground between the state and the Maoists. The government is likely to launch its operation in these deep forests.
Ready for use and camouflaged by natural vegetation, hundreds of mines are scattered all across the forest, covering all possible approach routes of the government forces, reports NDTV.
Kadri Satyanarana Rao, better known as Kosa, member of the Central Committee and the Central Military Committee who will be leading the fight says, “Like small ants that attack a snake at various places at the same time, we are also going to do the same.” The Maoists are also preparing to fight face to face with weapons ranging from old-fashioned shotguns to lethal AK-47s and even seized government rifles, the INSAS. The plan is very simple. Multiple strikes, simultaneous cuts to break the moral of the force. In short, the Maoists would be resorting to Guerilla warfare tactics.
However, more than the guerilla tactics, it is the local support, which will be crucial. Villagers are being wooed by the Maoists as they look after their welfare. “We are building up our capacity using people. We have asked our cadre to interact with people more and will use the force of the people against the government forces,” said Kosa. What is ironical here is that the residents of Bastar are ready to help Maoists instead of the government. Being a good two-day walk away from roads, the residents of these deep forests have never a government official. This, even after with Chidambaram’s latest strategy to use force and development simultaneously.
With the attacks nearing them, the Maoists are planning to spread across India and hit back at the government. Instead of a massive attack, the Chhattisgarh police have created smaller teams of 8 to 12 commandos each and launching them in the forest. Their mission is to search and destroy Naxal targets and to take back small patches of land at a time.
With the war looming this close over Bastar’s head, one thing is for sure, no matter who wins or loses, the days ahead will be bloody and gory.